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Activated 3 February 1942 at Pendleton Field Oregon. Assembled at Gowen Field Idaho on the 11th of February 1942, where it trained until 12 June 1942. Advance training at Alamogordo Field NM, until 7 August 1942, when the Group moved to Biggs Field, Texas, to be readied for overseas duty. The ground unit moved to Fort Dix, NJ on 24 August 1942. They sailed on they Queen Mary on the 5th of September 1942, and arrived at Greenock on the 10th of September 1942. The aircraft flew to Kellogg Field, Michigan then to Dow Field, Maine to start its flight to England.

Claims to Fame

"Hell's Angels" first B-17 in 8AF to complete 25 missions (Jun 1943) "Knock Out Dropper" first B-17 in 8AF to complete 50, and 75 missions First 8AF BG to complete 300 missions from the United Kingdom Flew more missions than any other 8AF Group Only one other group delivered a greater bomb tonnage

Subsequent History

Scheduled to transport US troops from Europe to North Africa. The group moved to Casablanca at the end of May 1945 to join the North Africa Division, Air Transport Command. The group participation was not required and the group was inactivated on the 25th July 1945 at Casablanca. the aircraft were flown back to the US. The unit was reactivated in 1951 as a Strategic Air Command B-29 unit and later as the 303rd Bomb Wing and flew B-47s until inactivated in the early 1960s.